


Local Haunt

by translevi



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, Ouija Board, Paranormal, Teenagers, Underage Smoking, Witchcraft, theyre dumbass teenagers that fuck around with ghosts in a haunted house except its cool
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-05
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-24 05:33:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12006111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/translevi/pseuds/translevi
Summary: “It’s 2:37 now, the witching hour isn’t that far off.” Erd pointed out, ignoring the urge to look over his shoulder. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see what was there anyway.





	Local Haunt

The woods was eerily silent around them, not even the crickets making a sound as the group of teenagers trudged along the dirt path. The shadows dipped and moved between the trees, unseen eyes on them all, watching as the trespassers weaved through. The moon, their only night-time companion for this excursion, flickered vague beams of light through the treetops above them, nowhere near as helpful as the flashlights two of them were waving around. The spark of a lighter flickered just for a moment before the scent of nicotine whirled around them, mixing with the scent of dew and spring.

Petra’s face screwed up with a huff, whirling around to cast a displeased look in Levi’s direction. It was an old argument she had run in circles with him and Auruo countless times before.

“Smoking kills, you know.”

Levi shrugged at her, lagging a bit behind the other four, nudging his lighter back into his messenger bag. He was nowhere near as bad as Auruo, who smoked not only to copy Levi, but because he thought it made him look cool, ignoring the fact that he choked on the smoke more often than not.

Her eyes rolled before turned back in front of her, pointing her flashlight towards the ground in front of them. They were honestly at the point now where they didn’t see to know where to go on this trail, considering how many times they had taken it.

“Sometimes,”  Levi began, exhaling a cloud of smoke to his right, peering through the depths of trees. “I think to myself, ‘maybe we’ll do something normal this weekend’, and then I am suddenly reminded that you’re all fucking insane, and that shitting around with demons is our idea of a good time.”

Erd laughed in response, the sudden boom of it echoing around them. He couldn’t see the others, but Auruo did throw a look over his shoulder, flashing a wide grin illuminated by Erd’s flashlight.

“C’mon, Levi, don’t tell me watching Auruo get possessed wasn’t your idea of a good time.”

“Not when it involved having to get my mom to help exorcise him.”

He heard Gunther snort in front of them, lingering a few steps behind Auruo who was leading their group this time.

“That’s what he gets for trying to show off and stepping outside of the salt-circle.” Petra chimed in, sending a very pointed look in Auruo’s direction.

“I mean it was kinda fuckin’ cool when my head spun around.”

 _“Auruo.”_ Petra groaned, shoulders drooping and looking up with a very noticeable ‘ _why me_ ’ tone.

A smirk graced Levi’s lips, tilting a corner upwards for just a moment before he forced it back down into his regular blank expression.

They were saved from another lovers quarrel from the two as the house came into view, towering menacingly through the shadows of wood. The clearing did little to help with the light level even with nothing overhead. The house seemed to suck all light from the area, something they had grown used to.

“What is the plan for this time, again?” Gunther asked, slowing his walk to press in closer to Erd and Petra’s area. Auruo stalled a couple feet ahead of them, looking back with a hand on his hip goosebumps rising on the bare skin of his arms.

“We can’t do hide-and-seek, I think Ms. Ackerman is still uncursing the doll from the last time we played, right?” Petra questioned, looking towards Levi and waiting for him to finally close the distance he had put between their little group.

“Right.” Levi hummed, putting out his cigarette and pulling the carton out of his bag, peering up towards the eyes watching them from the broken 3rd story window. He slid the unfinished cigarette back inside before replacing the carton in it’s correct pocket. “No, 12 am shit either. We could try to summon something but I don’t think I have enough shit to banish it if it all goes to hell.”

“It’s 2:37 now, the witching hour isn’t that far off.” Erd pointed out, ignoring the urge to look over his shoulder. He knew he wouldn’t be able to see what was there anyway.

Auruo eventually ended up rejoining them, mentioning that they had brought the ouija board this time.

“What we do will depend on Levi.” Gunther finally stated, nodding firmly to emphasize his point, leaving the others to follow suit.

Out of the five of them, only Levi was really capable of handling the spirits they encountered, and even so - as he was quick to remind them - he was still only a W.I.T, _witch-in-training,_ and couldn’t handle as much as his mother and uncle could.

“How are you feeling right now?” Petra asked, concern lighting up her eyes as she looked him over, casting a suspicious glance towards the house towering over them.

Levi hummed, taking a moment to really feel around him, picking up on the lingering energy of the spirits surrounding their groups local haunt - _heh, he should take up comedy -_ tonight. There are times in the past when they had come here and Levi had nearly fainted, collapsing to his knees and curling in on himself. No malicious energy seems to linger around them tonight however, and even the one that had possessed Auruo had not done it to harm him.

“I think we’ll be good for most things tonight.” He decided finally, and that was that.

With a quick check to make sure they could still recite the basic protection spells Levi had taught them, they were inside, the group waiting behind Levi with bated breath as he knocked on the door and asked if they were allowed in. After a few moments of silence, the doors clicked unlocked and swung open in front of them, revealing the dark and dusty entryway.

Levi stepped in first, tightening his grip on his messenger bag and peering into the open doors to other rooms, watching lingering shadows dart away as his eyes roamed over them before giving the others the ‘all-clear’ to enter.

Auruo was in first, spreading out cautiously but darting off at the sound of laughter, chasing after the spirit of a younger boy. Always an older brother figure, even when it came to lonely ghosts that had scared him bad enough that he had pissed himself the first time they had popped out at him.

Petra, more cautious than her boyfriend, lingered by their side for just a bit longer before throwing the other three a delighted look and giving chase as well.

“I guess we get to set up again.” Erd snorted, listening to the thumping of feet and creaking sounds of the house settling echo around them.

The spirits that were drawn to the house varied in type, era, and cause of death, the house itself simply seemed to be a beacon for the undead, although Levi is sure that the people that come here draw others more often than not.

“Where are we setting up this time?” Gunther, asked, turning his attention from the smaller form of a spirit lingering around the entrance to the dining room. Probably a pet, Levi decided, looking around them.

They had been throughout the entirety of this house several times over, though it had taken time. Spirits had different limits, and sometimes they weren’t allowed in places they had been the previous time. He stepped forward, crossing the expanse of the entry room to place his hand on the rail of the stairs, peering up the grand staircase to the second floor. The brush of cold air and slight hiss of displeasure told him very clearly that upstairs was off limits today.

“Living room.” He decided, respectfully stepping back and heading towards the archway to the right, stepping into a room as grand as the previous.

The living area was their most commonly used spot and one they were, without a doubt, most familiar with, from the aged furniture covered by sheets, to the cobwebs that lingered in corners. By now they even knew which spots in the floor would creak and which would not.

Levi set down the messenger bag on the couch, mindful to ignore the dip to the left of it, unmistakable in its human form before pulling out supplies and passing them to Erd and Gunther.

Gunther starts with the salt circles, leaving a spot for each of the 5 of them to sit surrounded by an extra barrier while Erd sets up the candles. Levi reaches for the knife, although his pocket knife does work, they get better results when he uses a more ceremonial one to draw blood. Although they are children playing around with spirits, they are children _respectfully_ playing around with spirits, and the blood and preparation before they whip out the ouija board shows it. He sets out the board between the five salt circles, pressing a drop of his blood to each corner of the board before pressing down hard enough to leave his fingertip on the planchette.

“What time is it?” Levi asked, pulling his bag into his circle and sitting down on the wood floor.

“2:56.” Erd replied, standing up and stretching, leaving his flashlight with Levi and Gunther to go retrieve the other two.

Gunther  was already in his salt circle, with just an arm outside of it trying to beckon the same spirit that was peering at him earlier closer.

Levi took the time to crack open his can of sweet tea, sitting it down on the floor between his thighs, and placing his hands on the planchette. He won’t ask any questions just yet, taking the time to feel out how it moved under him, looking to see if anyone nearby had become interested in what they were doing.

Erd finally shows up with Auruo and Petra, both looking red faced and more than pleased with themselves, nearby Levi can see the child, avoiding the larger group but still curious as to what his favorite playmates were up to this time.

The child, who the two had yet to get a name from, had been particularly helpful in their games of hide-and-seek, showing them the best places in the mansion to hide and getting permission for them to roam about all 3 of the floors, excluding the basement.

The 3 get into their spots, with Auruo grabbing for the bottle of mountain dew he had put in Levi’s bag when they had met up earlier that night. Levi passes his lighter to Gunther and he lights the candles while Petra switches off both of the flashlights.

Levi cracks his knuckles before placing both of his hands back on the planchette, with the other 4 reaching out with just a finger or two to feel its movements. Tonight is a very good night for them, it wasn’t often all 5 of them could touch the planchette safely.

“Is there anyone here who would like to talk to us?” Levi’s voice is steady as he asks, with all of them waiting in silence before the candle near Petra flickers and the planchette goes cold.

Slowly the piece moves to the ‘ _YES_ ’ option and grins spread on Petra and Erd’s face. Auruo, squirms where he sits, awed and as excited as always. Gunther regards it cautiously but openly, as he does most things in life.

“Alright,” Levi hums, “Introductions first, what’s your name?”

* * *

They ask lots of questions that night, the spirit they had encountered friendly and more than willing to speak about her life. They find out that although she can’t remember her name, she insists they call her “Bee” and that she was a war-medic in her life, operating on the front lines where the fighting was at its worst. She was engaged but lost her partner, and died on the front lines doing what she loved - saving lives.

Their questions go on well into the early hours and end at 6:30 on the dot when she informs that her shift is over and it’s time for her to rest. They 5 of them thank her profusely and pull away from the planchette as Levi says goodbyes for all of them and ends the session. They each blow out their nearby candles, and sit in their salt circles for another half hour talking amongst themselves. After staying up all night, the majority of them are exhausted but pleased.

They clean up quickly and are out even quicker, with Levi sending a msg to both his mother and his uncle that everything was alright and none of them were harmed this time.

Levi lags behind the group again, ignoring the prickle of ice that clings to his skin as they leave the clearing, letting the morning sun warm their skin and watching the forest come back to life around them.

Petra gets distracted by a small squirrel and Auruo almost trips over a branch. Gunther watches amused whilst talking to Erd and Levi lights up his unfinished cigarette, listening the laughing and carrying-on of the group in front of him as they all walked back.

**Author's Note:**

> i started writing this @ 3 am, witching hour more like fic-ing hour


End file.
